One of the best ways to give yourself a ton of maintenance in the Spring is to ignore your deck in the Winter.
With warmer days sure to come, here are 5 easy to follow tips that will make sure your deck is in tip-top shape for the Spring.
- Start with a clean slate: Do you have planters or other plants on your deck? Bring them inside, or remove them from your deck. Doing so minimizes future clean-up from dead leaves. Speaking of dead leaves…
- Clean up debris from plants: Sweep up any dead leaves so they don’t get stuck in between the boards. This ensures your boards don’t get exposed to excess moisture. Be sure to remove any debris from the gaps between boards to ensure proper ventilation amongst your entire deck.
- Cover deck furniture: Of course, covering deck and patio furniture is going to ensure the furniture sets themselves are protected from the winter. BUT, did you know that you also need to protect your deck from the furniture, too? Rust stains are a chore to remove from any surface. So, make sure the legs of tables, chairs, and even umbrella stands are in good shape.
- Cover and clean your outdoor kitchen and/or grill: Outdoor refrigerator, grills, and other outdoor appliances should be cleaned and well-maintained. For instance, if you noticed your outdoor fridge had a leak in the warmer months, it might freeze over causing issues not only with the appliance itself but with the deck it’s sitting on. The same goes for grills; clean up the grease outside and in to prevent grime from causing an unbearable mess over time.
- Watch out for leaks, clogged gutters, and excess moisture: Allowing moisture to pile up around any areas where your deck is connected to your home is a recipe for disaster. This is especially true for older decks. Always make sure your gutters are clear and there is no leaks that could penetrate the flashing or ledger areas.
WINTER DECK MAINTENANCE EXTRAS! The Never-Ever Rules:
- Never use rock salt on any decking material, EVER! Salt dries out the surface of wood, plastic, and even concrete (potholes, anyone?!). Use a salt-free alternative like Safepaw instead.
- Never use an old or metal shovel to remove ice and snow. Use a heavy-duty plastic shovel that won’t scratch your deck’s surface.
- Never let your pet relieve themselves on your deck. You might think it’s funny or cute to see Sparky do his business really fast in the snow, but that urine has to go somewhere! The last thing you want is to deal with the stains and/or the smell!
CONCLUSION
Sometimes all you need is a little attention and care to to make owning an TimberTown deck a reality. We hope you enjoy this article. Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Houzz for more great outdoor living ideas!
